Universal valve tool



Sept. 14, 1937- w. T REFNEY ET AL I 2,092,941

' UNIVERSAL VALVE TOOL Filed May 11, 1937 INVENTO RS IVI/fiom We/neyfrnsf Eda ova Cmon fATTORNEY Patented Sept. 14, 1937 PATENT OFFICE2,092,941 7 UNIVERSAL VALVE TOOL William Trefney,

Condon, Flushing, N.

ufacturing Company,

Application May 1.1,

. 3 Claims. This invention relates to improvements in universal valvetools and more particularly to valve tools for service men working onelectric refrigerators and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a-valve tool that may be usedto operate the valves of a large number of difierent without permittingany of the refrigerant to escape while testing the vacuum and pressurein the system.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tool of the characterdescribed in which the valve structure proper is always completelyassembled, ready for use and the application of this structure tovarious makes of refrigerators is accomplished by the use ofinterchangeable threaded connectors and interchangeable extensions.

. Other objects of the invention will be apparen from the followingspecification which, taken in connection with the annexed drawingdisclose a preferred embodiment of the invention.

It will be understood, however, that this em bodiment is merelyillustrative and that construction may be considerably varied withoutdeparting from the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the valve structureembodying the invention;

Figure 2 is an external view of the valve structure, Figure 1, showingone of the threaded connectors and one of the extensions used therewith;

Figure 3 is an external view of another type of. connector used with thevalve, Figure 2; and

Figures 4-7 inclusive are views of different extension members which incombination with the connectors permit the tool as a whole to be usedwith a large number of makes of refrigerators.

Mechanical refrigerators, especially those of the small household typeoperated by an electric motor connected to a small compressor, arecommonly equippedwith what is known as a charging-and purging valvethrough which liquid refrigerant may be introduced'to the system and themachine charged for operation. In connection with testing suchrefrigerators, it is often necessary to take gage readings of thepressure and vacuum in the system or to add additional liquidrefrigerant, or to operate. the purging and charging valve or some othervalve on the machine for the purpose of pumping down the system or doingother work.

- In all cases, it is desirable when operating the valve on therefrigerator to do so without losing any of the refrigerant whichisusually under pressure within the system and unless a special makes ofrefrigerators Jamaica, and Ernest Edward Y., assrgnors to Man- Jamaica,N. Y.

1931, Serial No. 141,924

tool is used such as herein illustrated and described, there is dangerof losing the gas and itis difficult to take gage readings.

As a precaution, the valves on refrigerators are usually capped so thatno leakage can occur around the stem of the valve and heretofore it hasbeen customary to remove this cap, put on a valve somewhat similar tothat shown in Figure 1 of the instant application, engage the stem of'the valve on the refrigerator with the movable stem of the servicevalve, open the latter and thereby obtain gage readings, recharge or dosuch other work as maybe necessary. Obviously, this requires a separatevalve similar to the arrangement shown in Figure 1 for each make ofrefrigerator as the valves on the different makes of refrigeratorsdiffer, some valves being threaded internally and others externally forthe reception of the valve tool, and the stems of these valves being ofdifferent configuration" some of them being adapted to take a squareshank tool, others a slotted tool and others a splined tool. The presentinvention eliminates the necessity of a service man carrying about aspecial valve for each make of refrigerator he may encounter. It enableshim with a single valve tool as herein described, to service a largenumber of refrigerators. For example, one valve body as shown in Figures1 and 2 with six connectors as shown in Figures 2 and 3, and fiveextensions as shown in Figures 2 and 4-7 inclusive will service thefifteen leading makes of refrigerators on the ma. ket today as well as alarge number of refrigerators made by smaller companies whose productsare not in extensive use. In other words, a service man equipped withone of the valve tools, the subject matter of this application, isrelieved ofthe necessity of either carrying around with him a largenumber of valve bodies adapted to fit different makes of refrigeratorvalves or making up on the job some makeshift arrangement to enable himto service these refrigerators. I

Referring now to Figure 1 a T designated by the numeral Ill isinteriorly threaded as shown at H to receive the threaded spud I! onwhich is supported the threaded nut 13 which is interiorly threaded asshown at I4. I

The other end of the T shaped body I0 is bored out as shown at I5 tocontain a suitable packing which is forced into engagement with the stem16 by means of the head H which is forced inwardly by means of the nutl8 which is threaded on to the threaded portion IQ of the T. A tappedhole 20 is provided in the T as shown, for the reception of a gage orthis may be plugged so a gas bottle or any other testing or chargingequipment can beconnected thereto.

The stem i6 is provided with a detachable handle 2| and it will be notedthat this stem 5 is freely slidable longitudinally through the body ofthe T but that gas or liquid is prevented from passing outwardly byreason of the packing in the bore l5.

The outer end of the stem l6 isformed into 10 a socket 22. This may bepulled all the way into the body of the valve until the portion 23thereof comes against the face 2l in the bore of the T. which aids insealing the valve and preventing escape of gas outwardly past thepacking in the bore IS. The groove 25 is made in the circular outer edgeof the socket so that at all times gas and liquid are free to passdownwardly through the bore and along the stem and outwardly into therefrigerator valve presently mentioned; 20 In order to accommodate thevalve body to various makes of refrigerators, a plurality of threadedconnectors such as 26, 21 are provided. These may be threaded exteriorlyas shown at 28 to engage the threaded portion ll of the nut i3 wherebythey can be attached to and from part of the tool. These may bethreaded. ex-

teriorly as shown at 29 to engage female threads on the refrigeratorvalve or they may be threaded interiorly as indicated at 30, Figure 3,to engage 30 male threads on the refrigerator valve, and theseconnectors can be made of different lengths. For use with theconnectors, a plurality of extensions are provided, as shown at 3|, 32,33, 34, and 35. These connectors are all provided on the tool end withsuitable male sockets as shown at 36 which socket engages thecorresponding female socket in the valve stem 22, and at their outerends these connectors are equipped with various types of sockets orother engaging means such as 40 shown at 31, 38, 39, 40 which areadapted to engage correspondingly slotted, hexagonal or splined valvemembers of the refrigerator valves. From the foregoing it will be seenthat in operation it is merely necessary to attach to the refrigeratingvalve the proper threaded connectors such as 26, by screwing the maleportion 29 thereof into the refrigerator valve. Then the properextension such as 3| is placed in the connector 26, the socket 36engaging the socket 22 of the i stem' l6.

The nut i 3 is then screwed on to the exterior threads 28 of theconnector. The shaft l6 being freely slidable through the body of thevalve,

it automatically adjusts itself for any length of connector and byturning the handle 2| and thereby rotating the stem l6 valve may beopened. Gas will find egress therefrom and out through the slot 4| whichis provided along each extension, pass along the stem I6 and find itsway up through the opening 20 and into a gage if one is attached thereinthereby enabling the service man to test the gas pressure.

If the service man desires to charge a refrigerator he merely connectsthe gas supply to the opening 20 and the process is reversed.

To close the refrigerator valve the above de scribed process isreversed.

It will be observed that by the use of the tool herein described varioustests and charging of refrigerators can be accomplished with the loss ofvery little gas, and that by providing the in terchangeable connectorsand extensions, necessity for the service: man carrying a large numberthe refrigerator 2,092,941 of valves or fittings from-which to make upvalve assemblies on the job is eliminated.

It will be observed that although the connectors and extensions of thistool are quickly detachable that when in use all parts are sealed in gastight relationship. For example, the packing in the bore i5 prevents theescape of gas at that end of the tool; the spud I2 has an outwardextending; lateral flange I2a so that when the connector such as- 26 isdrawn thereag'ainst by means of the nut I3 the connector is brought intogas tight relation with the tool. Obviously the connector can be broughtinto gas lation with the refrigerator valve and the escape of gas fromthe tool while prevented.

What is claimed is:

l. A universal valve tool comprising in combination, a body memberforming a conduit, an operating stem extending through said conduit andslidably supported therein, a -nut supported on said body and revolvablethereon, a threaded connector adapted for threaded engagement with saidnut and adapted thereby to be clamped into gas tight relation with saidbody to extend the length of said' conduit, an extension for said stem,connecting means on said stem and extension whereby said extension maybe revolved by turning said stem, and means on the outer end of saidextension adapted to engage and turn a valve stem. 2. A universal valvetool comprising in combination, a body member forming a conduit, anoperating stem extending'through said conduit and slidably supportedtherein, a nut threadedly therefore in use is supported on said body andsecured thereto, a

threaded connector adapted to engage said nut to extend the length ofsaid conduit and to connect the same to a valve, an extension having asocket adapted to engage said stem whereby said extension may berevolved thereby, and

means on the outer end of said extension adapted to engage and turn avalve stem.

3. A universal valve tool comprising in combination a body member havinga conduit extending therethrough, said conduit having an enlarged boreat one end and being threaded in the other end and said body beingthreaded on its exterior overlying said enlarged bore, an operating stemextending through said conduit and slidably supported therein, packingin said enlarged bore about said stem, a head member adapted to compresssaid packing about said stem, a nut adapted to engage the exteriorthreads on said body to engage and force said head against said packing,an exteriorly threaded spud nut having an outwardly extending lateralflange and adapted to partially enter the threaded portion ofsaidconduit, a nut supported on said spud, a connector having an exteriorlythreaded portion adapted to be engaged by said last nut whereby saidconnector can be locked in gas tight relation to said spud to form anextension of said' conduit, said connector being threaded at its outerend for engagement with a valve, and an extension member adapted forsocket engagementwith said stem to extend thev tight re-

